Active Essex
Active Essex is a publicly-funded non-profit organization delivering county-wide physical activity, sport, and wellness programmes for residents of Essex, Southend, and Thurrock via the Find Your Active platform, community outreach, schools, and healthcare referrals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersChelmsford, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Active Essex does
Active Essex is the designated county-wide physical activity and sport organization serving the residents of Essex, Southend-on-Sea, and Thurrock in the United Kingdom. Operated as a non-profit entity backed by Essex County Council and Essex Public Health, the organization delivers the 10-year "Fit for the Future" physical activity and sport strategy for Greater Essex. It runs the umbrella "Find Your Active" campaign, which encompasses the Activity Finder (a searchable web directory of physical activity opportunities), the Find Your Active Workout Channel (a YouTube-hosted library of nearly 300 free at-home workout videos covering high-impact, gentle, family, and wellbeing categories), and the Move For Your Mind campaign delivered in partnership with Mind in Essex.
The organization's service portfolio spans multiple programmes: Essex ActivAte (free school holiday food and activity clubs for children and families), Essex School Games and Special School Games (county-wide competitive sport delivered through 14 School Games Organisers across 38+ schools), Essex All Together (inclusive activity for people with disabilities and long-term health conditions), Essex Pedal Power (cycling initiative), and the Active Essex Foundation (an independent 2016-founded charity engaging marginalised young people). Distribution is multi-channel, combining digital self-service (website, YouTube, Holly Health app), community-based outreach (Place Navigators embedded across most localities), social prescribing referrals from GPs and healthcare professionals, and event-driven engagement (Essex Activity Awards, holiday clubs, walking challenges).
The business model is government-funded rather than commercial: core funding flows from Essex County Council and Essex Public Health, with additional support from Sport England and other public bodies. All primary services are provided free to residents; no direct consumer pricing exists. The organization generates no reported venture, equity, or grant funding from private capital markets and has no disclosed revenue figure, consistent with its role as a publicly-backed service delivery body rather than a commercial enterprise.
Active Essex firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Active Essex
- Legal name
- Active Essex
- Website
- https://activeessex.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Active Essex is a publicly-funded non-profit organization delivering county-wide physical activity, sport, and wellness programmes for residents of Essex, Southend, and Thurrock via the Find Your Active platform, community outreach, schools, and healthcare referrals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Active Essex is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chelmsford
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Active Essex business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Government and Public Health Funding: Active Essex is funded by Essex Public Health and Essex County Council to deliver county-wide physical activity strategy. The Find Your Active: Move For Your Mind campaign is specifically powered by Essex Public Health. The organization does not charge residents for its core services, positioning itself as a free public health resource.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Free | Free services for all Essex, Southend and Thurrock residents |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels10 records
Active Essex product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Active Essex is a publicly funded county-wide organisation that delivers free physical activity and sport programmes to residents of Essex, Southend, and Thurrock. Its Find Your Active campaign combines an online Activity Finder, a YouTube workout channel of nearly 300 videos, Place Navigator community support, and partner-delivered programmes including Essex ActivAte holiday clubs, Essex School Games, and Essex All Together inclusive activities.
Product overview
Active Essex operates as a unified physical activity and sport strategy organisation serving Essex, Southend, and Thurrock, UK. The core portfolio consists of the Find Your Active programme (featuring an Activity Finder platform, YouTube Workout Channel with 200+ videos, and Find Your Active Fund grants), Essex ActivAte holiday clubs for children, Essex School Games competitive programme, Essex All Together inclusive activities for people with disabilities, and Place Partnerships including Essex Pedal Power cycling initiatives. Supporting infrastructure includes the Active Essex Foundation charity (founded 2016), Place Navigators community support, an annual Essex Activity Awards ceremony, a Healthcare Professionals Programme with social prescribing resources, an Essex Sector Jobs careers hub, Safeguarding Hub, and Active Design planning guidance. The Find Your Active: Move For Your Mind campaign, powered by Essex Public Health in partnership with Mind in Essex, focuses on mental health benefits of physical activity. Additional offerings include the Holly Health App, Essex Cycle Grant, Local Delivery Pilot, and sector-specific training and career resources.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Find Your Active: County-wide movement campaign inspiring people of all ages and abilities to discover and enjoy ways to get moving, focused on the connection between physical activity and mental wellbeing.
- Active Essex Foundation
- Find Your Active: Move For Your Mind
- Essex ActivAte
Products and services
- Find Your Active Activity Finder Web-based searchable directory that enables residents of Essex, Southend, and Thurrock to discover and locate physical activity and sport opportunities near them, filterable by area and by free or paid activities.
- Find Your Active Workout Channel (YouTube) YouTube-hosted channel offering nearly 300 free at-home workout videos organised by category including High Impact, Gentle Exercise, Active Families, and Health & Wellbeing, delivered by vetted instructors and accessible on-demand to Essex residents.
- Essex ActivAte Free school holiday activity and food programme providing enriching activities and clubs for children, young people, and families across Essex and Thurrock, including dedicated provision for children with additional needs.
- Essex School Games County-wide school sport programme creating competitive, developmental, and participatory physical activity opportunities for pupils, coordinated through 14 School Games Organisers across Essex.
- Essex All Together Campaign and programme promoting inclusive physical activity and sport opportunities for people living with a disability or long-term health condition, delivered with partners such as Sport for Confidence and Disability4Sport.
- Find Your Active: Move For Your Mind County-wide mental health and physical activity campaign delivered in partnership with Mind in Essex, highlighting the connection between movement and mental wellbeing and including an ambassador network and Place Navigator outreach.
- Active Essex Foundation Independent charity founded in 2016 using sport and physical activity to engage and support marginalised young people and under-represented groups across Greater Essex, working with locally trusted organisations.
- Place Navigators Community-based navigators available in most areas of Essex, Southend, and Thurrock who provide personalised, face-to-face support to help residents find physical activities suited to their needs.
- Essex Activity Awards Annual awards ceremony celebrating the outstanding achievements of individuals, clubs, and organisations contributing to physical activity and sport across Essex, Southend, and Thurrock.
- Place Partnerships Community-focused partnerships supporting place-based physical activity initiatives across Essex localities in collaboration with local authorities, including the Essex Local Delivery Pilot.
- Essex Pedal Power Cycling initiative within Place Partnerships promoting and supporting cycling activities across Essex.
- Find Your Active Fund Small grant programme providing funding to clubs, organisations, and groups to help Essex residents discover and participate in physical activities and to support free access.
- Healthcare Professionals Programme Resources, social prescribing guidance, and primary care resources provided to healthcare professionals to support referrals of patients to Active Essex physical activity programmes.
Quantifiable outcome
- Essex Activity Awards 2025 attracted over 150 shortlisted nominees and guests
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Active Essex
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Active Essex technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Active Essex partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Mind in EssexcoreFind Your Active: Move For Your Mind is delivered in partnership with Mind in Essex to champion the powerful connection between physical activity and mental wellbeing. The partnership brings together mental health expertise with physical activity promotion, creating county-wide opportunities for residents to explore movement as a tool for mental health. Essex sporting stars have also rallied behind this campaign.
- Essex County CouncilcoreActive Essex operates as the county's designated physical activity and sport organization under Essex County Council's governance. The organization delivers the 10-year Fit for the Future strategy and is funded through Essex Public Health. Essex County Council's Your Essex Community place-based offer is a key collaborative initiative.
- Essex Public HealthcoreEssex Public Health powers the Find Your Active: Move For Your Mind campaign and provides core funding to Active Essex for county-wide physical activity initiatives targeting public health outcomes.
- Active Essex FoundationcoreActive Essex Foundation is an independent charity founded in 2016, set up to use the power of sport and physical activity to engage and support the most marginalised groups across the county. Founded by Active Essex, it works with locally trusted organisations to support projects for under-represented and vulnerable young people.
- 14 School Games Organisers (Essex)core14 School Games Organisers across Essex work with Active Essex to deliver the Essex School Games, coordinating sport and physical activity opportunities for schools and pupils across the county.
- Place Partnerships (Local Authorities)corePlace Partnerships engage local authorities across Essex, Southend, and Thurrock to deliver place-based physical activity initiatives including Essex Pedal Power (cycling) and the Essex Local Delivery Pilot.
- Sport for ConfidencesupportingSport for Confidence delivers fully inclusive physical activity sessions for people living with disabilities or health conditions. Referenced as a recommended organization for adults with disabilities on the Find Your Active website.
- Disability4SportsupportingDisability4Sport provides inclusive sports opportunities for people with disabilities. Recommended as a partner organization on the Find Your Active website for adults with disabilities.
- Independence ClubssupportingInclusive clubs providing activities for people with disabilities, referenced as a recommended partner on the Find Your Active website.
- Holly HealthsupportingHolly Health is a personalised health and habit-building app partnered with Active Essex, offering 12 months of free digital health coaching to Essex residents including habit-building, sleep improvement, and wellbeing support.
- Sport England (We Are Undefeatable)supportingActive Essex supports the Sport England We Are Undefeatable campaign, which provides resources and partnerships with leading long-term health condition charities to help people with health conditions find ways to get active.
- Chelmsford Karate ClubsupportingChelmsford Karate Club (established 1967) is a key partner offering inclusive karate for ages 4+ including people with disabilities, and quickly adapted to online delivery during lockdowns. Has won multiple Active Essex Sport Awards.
- Go Jauntly (Walking App)supportingGo Jauntly walking app is partnered with Active Essex for the 3k Steps a Day Challenge and Big Winter Walking Challenge, enabling residents to discover walking routes and log steps digitally.
- Thurrock CouncilcoreThurrock Council is a key partner alongside Essex County Council and Southend-on-Sea Borough Council in delivering the Fit for the Future 10-year physical activity strategy.
- Southend-on-Sea Borough CouncilcoreSouthend-on-Sea Borough Council partners with Active Essex and Essex County Council in the Fit for the Future 10-year strategy and Essex ActivAte holiday programme delivery.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Active Essex competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- ukactive: ukactive is the UK trade body for the physical activity sector, representing gyms, leisure centres, and community activity providers. It engages in advocacy, research, and policy work parallel to Active Essex's mission.
- Sport England: Sport England is the national body that funds and coordinates the Active Partnership network of which Active Essex is a member. It sets national policy, distributes public funding, and runs national campaigns like This Girl Can and We Are Undefeatable.
- Everyone Active: Everyone Active is a major leisure trust operating public leisure facilities on behalf of local councils, with multiple Essex locations. It represents the operator side of the physical activity ecosystem that Active Essex coordinates and signposts.
- GLL (Better): GLL operates leisure and fitness facilities across the UK under the 'Better' brand, including several sites in Essex. As a major leisure trust, it provides the actual fitness facilities and programming that Active Essex signposts residents toward.
Direct peers
- Active Hampshire: Active Hampshire is a peer Active Partnership delivering county-wide physical activity and sport programmes funded by the local authority and public health, with comparable inclusion, mental health, and school sport programming.
- Active Sussex: Active Sussex is one of the 43 Active Partnerships across England operating the same community-led physical activity model in Sussex, with county council and public health funding. Directly comparable in structure, funding model, and programme mix.
- Active Oxfordshire: Active Oxfordshire is the designated Active Partnership for Oxfordshire delivering community physical activity programmes under a similar county-wide public health mandate, including walking, cycling, and mental health initiatives.
Emerging players
- Mind (National Association): Mind is the UK's leading mental health charity and partner of Active Essex through the Find Your Active: Move For Your Mind campaign with Mind in Essex. It represents the intersection between physical activity promotion and mental health service delivery.
- Holly Health: Holly Health is a digital health coaching app partnered with Active Essex to provide 12 months of free wellbeing support to Essex residents. It is an emerging player in the digital preventive health space overlapping with Active Essex's community reach.
- Go Jauntly: Go Jauntly is a walking app integrated with Active Essex for the 3k Steps a Day and Big Winter Walking Challenges. It is a niche emerging player in the walking and outdoor activity space targeting similar demographic segments.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights1 record
Customer concentration
Active Essex social profiles
Digital presenceActive Essex financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Active Essex leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Active Essex subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Active Essex funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Active Essex M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Active Essex
What does Active Essex do?
Active Essex is a publicly funded county-wide organisation that delivers free physical activity and sport programmes to residents of Essex, Southend, and Thurrock. Its Find Your Active campaign combines an online Activity Finder, a YouTube workout channel of nearly 300 videos, Place Navigator community support, and partner-delivered programmes including Essex ActivAte holiday clubs, Essex School Games, and Essex All Together inclusive activities.
Is Active Essex a public or private company?
Active Essex is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Active Essex founded?
Active Essex was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Active Essex based?
Active Essex is headquartered in Chelmsford, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Active Essex make money?
One revenue line is on record: government and Public Health Funding.
Who are Active Essex's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are ukactive, Sport England, Everyone Active and GLL (Better). Direct peers are Active Hampshire, Active Sussex and Active Oxfordshire. Emerging players are Mind (National Association), Holly Health and Go Jauntly.
Does Active Essex have an API?
No public API is recorded for Active Essex.